This disclosure is directed toward apparatus and methods for performing analytical test on samples of urine. More particularly, the invention is directed toward performing the tests using apparatus which is mounted within a urinal to receive urine samples, which makes measurements on the received samples, and which transmits results to a remote location for recording and further study.
Modern diagnostic medicine uses as a foundation in vivo testing and in analytical testing of material secreted by the body. Examples of in vivo testing include x-ray, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and injected radioactive scans such as coronary imaging using radioactive thallium injected into the blood stream. Examples of secreted material testing include the analysis of blood samples drawn from the patient, the analysis of urine samples given by the patient, and the like. With the possible exception of ultrasonic imaging, most in vivo tests are typically analyzed and interpreted subsequent to testing. The time lapse between testing typically ranges from a few hours to a few weeks. The time interval between the collection and the analysis and the interpretation of analytical results of secreted samples typically ranges from a few days to a few weeks.
Attention is now directed toward the analysis of urine, which is commonly referred to as "urinalysis". The analysis of a patient's urine samples provides a physician with a wealth of information concerning the health of a patient. The detection of abnormal levels of sugar and ketones can indicate a diabetic condition. The detection of blood in the urine can indicate urinary tract problems. A measure of conductivity can be used to indicate the level of the patient's electrolytes. Total dissolved solid (TDS) content can indicate certain kidney and bladder problems. There are numerous additional urinalysis tests which are well known in the art, and the interpretation of these tests are well known in the medical art.
In addition to diagnostic medical tests, urine is often analyzed to determine if the patient is taking either legal or illegal drugs. Urine tests which indicate the subject's use of marijuana is well known in the art. There are other urinalysis tests for the use of cocaine use and other illegal drugs.
As mentioned previously, the time lapse between the collection of a urine sample and the "off-site" analysis of the urine sample can be quite long. Additional time is typically required for a technician or physician to interpret the analytical results. This time delay can delay treatment of a patient in the event that the urinalysis indicates an abnormal condition or conditions. If the urinalysis is being used as an illegal drug screen, the delay in analysis and further delay in interpretation can be quite detrimental. If an illegal drug screen is performed by a company as a precursor to hiring, the employment process can be delayed for days or weeks by waiting for urinalysis results. If employees are routinely screened for illegal drugs, delay in urinalyses results could result in a drug abusing employee performing a critical job tests for weeks before drug screen results are obtained by the employer.
It is very desirable to perform diagnostic medical urinalysis on a routine basis. Such routine analyses can be used as periodic "scans" for symptoms of diabetes, kidney, bladder and other types of disease. This would provide an early warning of the onset of the disease thereby allowing diagnosis and treatment to be initiated as early as possible. Real time interpretation of such scans would also accelerate the diagnosis process thereby allowing the earliest possible treatment of a detected condition.
Urinalysis for illegal drugs on a routine basis is also highly desirable in that it would serve as a deterrent for illegal drug use. Furthermore, the interpretation of urinalysis results in real time would further serve as a deterrent, and rapidly identify "users" so that they can be removed as employees, receive treatment for the condition, or be dismissed from employment.
In view of the preceding background discussion, and object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and methods for routinely performing urinalysis by sampling urine at one or more urinals.
An additional object of the invention is to provide apparatus which can be attached to existing urinals to collect and analyze urine samples.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be used to sample and analyzes urine from a plurality of users of the urinal.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a real time urinalysis system which is automatically activated by the use of the urinal and automatically purged for the next user and deactivated when the urinal is "flushed", enabling resetting.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for automatically telemetering a plurality of urinalysis results from a plurality of equipped urinals to a central, remote location for recording and further analysis and reporting.
There are other objects of the invention which will become apparent in the following disclosure.